Satellite Data Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by US is Currently Near the Texas Coast.
American personnel boarding the deck of the Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the first vessel seized by the United States for reportedly carrying embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December shows the ship is near the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from MarineTraffic presently places the vessel about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been blacklisted by several governments. When it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries. It – in contrast to the Skipper – was not under sanctions when it was brought under American control.
American agencies are now targeting a third vessel, which has been named by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated yesterday that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group said the Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of fuel left unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service added the tanker is “likely heading south-east towards South Africa”.